


Leading Somewhere

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Express
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:29:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28833450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Collections: Anonymous





	Leading Somewhere

Tom as one the Prefects had a duty to consort himself with fresh-eyed first years on the Hogwarts Express and attempt to fraternize with them in the first few days of school. A horrid duty Tom needed to put up with against all his wishes. First years were practically children and children were more inclined to see through Tom’s hidden persona. Also, they were loud and more often than not, questioned everything. But Tom was a prefect and one of the prefect’s duty was to aide and brief first years on the train so Tom got to work.

After warning his knights against stirring up trouble with the mudbloods and first years, not even a minor jinx, Tom set out to do his first round of the car. He had obviously taken the first compartment of the first car since that’s where sixth and seventh years liked to set up wards against first years, there should be no first years. He still opened every door to every compartment in that car for formality sake and just about as he was about to open the last door, a first year burst out of the compartment running straight into Tom before running down the train without an apology not even a glance. What was that all about? 

One of the third year Slytherins who was also out wandering about paled considerably at the sight of Tom. Oh? Had that first year done something to him? It didn’t matter, for now. Instead Tom turned back to the sniggering bunch who no doubt hadn’t heard of Tom yet. Tom grinned, this was going to be a brilliant stress outlet.

“Might I ask you what seems to be so amusing?” he started off with a good natured question.

A haughty looking girl looked up from writing her journal noticeably looking at Tom’s prefect badge before opening her mouth, “ he-“ and was more noticeably cut off by a boy who looked like a lawyer in the making, “What she meant to say is we’re very sorry that our,-” a pause of uncertainty, “-our friend decided to maintain his family tradition of pulling pranks.” The girl who’d been cut off was now seething at the boy while…continuing to write calmly. Was it a journal or was she just shy?”

Now Tom had to know who that was, if there was a troublemaker in the making, he had to stop him early. Pranksters, treading the fine line of white and black, he needed to choose a side if he wanted to stay at Hogwarts. 

“And pray tell who was that?”

The final girl in that compartment, a nice-looking average girl decided a that moment to remind them of her existence, “And why should we tell you?” The other two were now looking at her warily. Ah, a good old classic Gryffindor. The recklessness impudity of standing up to a Slytherin prefect. A minor pureblood or halfblood who had no doubt been throughly educated at a healthy age to grow up doubting snakes. Nothing a bit of reasoning couldn’t solve, and charm.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m a prefect. I’m helping you get settled in on the train. After all it’ll take half a day’s time. Not quite the length of time you want to spend without knowing anything. You could of course, ask others, but this car only has grumpy sixth and seventh years other than your entourage. I ensure all first years get a basic layout of the train and timings of the trolley. It’s also your first of three chances on this ride to inform me of your inquiries and worries.“

The lion girl stepped down a bit more reserved and the other two looked relieved. The other girl finally managed to speak up, “I’m Daphne Greengrass.”

“Delighted to meet you. And you are?” an abated beat before the boy replied, “Draco Malfoy.” a Malfoy wouldn’t. That hairstyle must go.

“You’re Abraxes’ brother? Pleased to finally meet you.”

The final girl took the initiative, “I’m Hermione Granger and that boy that ran you over was Harry. He didn’t want to share his last name though. As for the prank, all he revealed that the victim would be quite surprised before dinner. Judging from what I could hear, it was an alteration on the colour changing charm.” was the boy ashamed of being half-blood or was it something else? A time-delayed prank. So whoever that had been practicing theory quite a bit at home. And the mudblood girl was a bookworm it seemed. After briefing them on not-so-important matters, he went of in search of the mysterious Harry.

It wasn’t too long though. After a long search he was back in his compartment with his knights either snoring or reading as the sun gave its last rays for the day. His favourite time of the day in autumn, sunset. It cast everything in a warm orange hue and made everything disgustingly sentimental. Tom hated these moments. It made him feel normal. It made him consider giving up his dreams if even for a mere second. It made him enjoy the presence of others. He sighed as he sat down on something not the chair. He startled too late as he heard distinctive footsteps and the compartment door sliding close.


End file.
